City looks to tighten restrictions on chain stores in neighborhoods

The tiny Gant Rugger clothing store on Hayes Street looks like just another chichi boutique on one of San Francisco’s trendiest shopping streets, but to neighboring retailers, it’s a harbinger of disaster.

In a city where politicians work hand-in-hand with local merchants to keep chain stores out of neighborhood shopping districts, the appearance of a local outpost of a top European retailer threatened not only the hard-won character of the neighborhood, but also profits and rental rates.

So the merchants went to the Board of Supervisors to make sure this never happens again.

For a look at the battle for Hayes Valley and the history of the city’s continuing effort to put ever-tigher controls on “formula retail,” click here.